Panther History:
The original Panther Westwinds Company set itself up in 1972 in sight of the famous Brooklands Race Course, and was the brainchild of Robert Jankel who produced hand built sports cars to the highest specification using modern principles of engineering and performance but with the styling of a bygone era. It was not just retro-cars Panther was interested in. In 1975 the Panther Rio was announced - a Triumph Dolomite with grotesque "Rolls-Royce" styling and interior appointments - the cost of which was equivalent to three Triumph Dolomites. Another Panther was the infamous Panther 6, one car was officially built and another copy constructed later (before Panther collapsed). This machine had slick aerodynamic convertible bodywork, 6 wheels (like the Tyrrell racecar), a thirsty mid-mounted Cadillac 8.2L V8 (with twin turbochargers) and apparently, could top the double ton (200 mph / 322 km/h.The Panther company collapsed in 1980 and was purchased by Young Kim of Korea. He built a new factory in Harlow and began assembling cars using Korean-made bodies. In the 1980s, the company moved into the sports car arena, culminating with the 1990 Panther Solo. Panther lost money on every Solo, and the company was liquidated to Korean SsangYong Motor Company shortly afterwards.

Panther Overview:
Panther Westwinds also referred to as Panther was a specialty automobile manufacturer in Surrey, United Kingdom. Founded in 1972 by Robert Jankel, the Panther Company enjoyed success throughout the 1970s with retro-styled cars based on production mechanicals. The companysPanther J72, like the resurrected Stutz Blackhawk in the United States, became a car for top celebrities to be seen in.

Other Panther Details:
Although the company collapsed; It had manufactured several models. Some notable models produced by the company include; Panther Lima, Panther Solo, Solo 1, Solo 2 and Panther Kallista. The Panther Lima was a retro-styled GT car of the 1970s. It used Vauxhall Viva and Magnum mechanicals, including that cars2.3 L (2279 cc) engine. Production lasted from 1976 through 1982 with 897 cars produced. The Panther Solo was a mid-engined sports car made by the British company Panther Westwinds. It was a two-seat coupe, with the option of additional rear seats to make it a 2 + 2. The first Solo, the Solo 1, was a simple mid-engined rear wheel drive car. It had a Ford 1.6 CVH Engine (as fitted in the Ford XR2), and was designed as a replacement for the marquesvolume model, the Kallista. The Solo 2 used the Ford/Cosworth 2.0 L (1993 cc) engine with a Ferguson four wheel drive system custom designed by Panther. It is not known exactly how many vehicles were built, as sometimes Panther would change the chassis number of prototype cars. All but three Solos were sold to the public, two were destroyed, and one is still owned by the then owner of Panther. The Kallista replaced the Panther Lima as Panther Westwinds" volume model for the 1980s. Unlike the Vauxhall-based Lima, the Kallista used Ford mechanicals, including a range of engines from 1.6 L straight-4 to 2.9 L Cologne V6. The later SsangYong-built models of the 1990s used a 2.3 L engine. The Kallista was produced from 1982 through 1990.